Raku bowls

Raku bowls are renowned for their unique character and were first developed by tea master Sen no Rikyū in the 16th century. Together with tile maker Chojiro, the bowls were produced as a new style of pottery for use in tea ceremonies and are still used today.

Instead of being shaped on a potter's wheel, Raku ceramics are made by pinching the clay into the desired shape and smoothing it with a spatula, which gives Raku bowls their unique form. The bowl is fired unglazed before being fired a second time with a thin layer of glaze at 1200°C. The bowl is removed from the kiln just before the glaze perfectly sets, while it is still glowing. It is allowed to cool until the glaze hardens and then placed in water to cool completely. This gives Raku ceramics their soft appearance and unique, almost metallic-looking glaze.

To remove Raku bowls from the hot kiln, tongs must be used. The marks of the tongs are then imprinted on the outside of each bowl, especially on Karo Raku (the black bowls) which are fired at a higher temperature. These might be mistaken for scratches, but instead, they should be appreciated as yet another unique expression of the Raku bowl's creation.